LGUs urged to use geohazard maps

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has called on local government units (LGUs) to utilize the geohazard maps distributed by the national government and use them as guide during disasters.

The DENR made the call in time for the observance of National Disaster Consciousness Month this July. This year’s theme, “Ligtas na Bayan, Maunlad na Pamayanan,” focuses on safeguarding communities from the adverse effects of natural disasters to promote sustainable development.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said LGUs can use the geohazard maps prepared by the department’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and take note of areas prone to flooding and landslides.

Paje said local officials can use the maps in determining sites for relocation during disasters.

The MGB has distributed some 85,000 copies of geohazard maps showing landslide and flood-prone areas on a scale of 1:50,000 to LGUs nationwide.

A more detailed mapping of cities and municipalities, at a scale of 1:10,000, will be completed within the year. The three-dimensional or 3D version is also in the pipeline, the DENR said.

Paje urged the public to make a “more conscious and collective effort” to adopt a lifestyle that would reverse environmental degradation and mitigate the negative impacts of disasters.

“Efforts can be small and personal, such as minding where you throw your trash, patronizing eco-friendly goods and services and not wasting water and energy. They can also be on a larger scale like organizing community clean-ups or participating in tree planting activities under the National Greening Program,” he said.

“What counts the most is that efforts are done regularly, and not ningas cogon,” he added.

The DENR chief noted that most of the damage caused by disasters “result from human activities that show blatant disregard for the environment.”

“Thinning forests, the unsustainable conversion and use of land, and pollution that clogs waterways and kills rivers and seas aggravate the impacts of disasters on lives and property, especially when they lead to erosion and flooding,” Paje said.

“What is worse is that climate change makes extreme weather events as the new normal, so we can expect the hazards and risks to increase, too,” he added.